This meme is getting out of control. With Weezer scoring their biggest hit in a decade by covering Toto’s “Africa,” the band went full tilt by bringing ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic onstage to jam the song on vocals and accordion.
Twitter is a strange place. After a 14-year-old began campaigning for Weezer to cover “Africa,” the band first taunted the Twitter handle with a cover of “Rosanna” before finally making good on the request.
The song gave Weezer their first Hot 100 chart appearance since 2010’s “(If You’re Wondering If I Want You To (I Want You To).” It didn’t stop there, as Weezer topped the Billboard Alternative Songs Chart for the first time since “Pork and Beans” peaked in 2008. Furthermore, “Africa” is the first cover song to top the Alternative Songs Chart since 2004. Meanwhile, Toto have responded in kind covering Weezer’s “Hash Pipe.”
Los Angeles fans were treated to Weird Al’s surprise cameo on Aug. 8. Walking out in one of his signature Hawaiian shirts, Weird Al had his accordion strapped as Rivers Cuomo announced, “Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Weird Al Yankovic!” to a thunderous ovation.
The shred levels were off the charts on 8/8/18 in the Forum, many thanks for the transformative assist on “Africa” from @alfredyankovic !! #karlscorner pic.twitter.com/Pf6aiDi5F3
— weezer (@Weezer) August 11, 2018
So, this just happened. (Thanks, @Weezer.) pic.twitter.com/DIt5Sf25Vz
— Al Yankovic (@alyankovic) August 9, 2018
Al rocked the song from bridge to final note, for what could be the most awesomely ridiculous moment of the year. Watch fan-shot footage of Weird Al’s surprise walk-on with Weezer in the clip above.
